


Overshadowed

by Eggspelliarmus



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, but sort of angsty in the middle, emotionally constipated idiots, engagement at birth, i am sorry newt, longest one-shot that i have ever written, newt is in his early 20s, newt only arrives at ny after grindelwald's arrest, newt's mother is still alive, tina was the one exposing grindelwald, two idiots in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 10:45:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9436760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggspelliarmus/pseuds/Eggspelliarmus
Summary: Newt was told that he was promised to a man at birth by his mother during dinner, causing the shocked magizoologist to flee to the United States, where he met his one true love, Percival Graves.They started dating soon afterwards. Sadly, Percival seemed not to love him back, and appeared to consider him as a bed partner only but nothing more. He seemed reluctant to make their relationship known to the world, breaking Newt's heart eventually. Percival might appear to be heartless, but was there more to that met the eyes?Ch1: Newt's POVCh2: Percival's POV





	1. Newton Scamander

Newt had been living in the shadows of his brother, Thesus Scamander, since he took his first breath on Earth. Thesus was the favourite son of Mr and Mrs Scamander, and he was always so delightful - smart, polite and brave. It was always Thesus who was so bright that he had already mastered a few second year spells before the age of ten, or it was Thesus - our wonderful boy, said Mrs Scamander to an exhausted Mr Scamander, who had just arrived home - that won another dueling competition for young wizards. Occasionally, there were several acknowledgements of Newt's accomplishment - Oh Newt dearie, we know you have tried. It wasn't your fault that you are not as good as your brother but that's quite alright, at least you are good at magizoology - yet most of the time, there was no praise for Newt. It seemed that Newt's parents had a quota on compliments, and they decided to use them all on their eldest son, ignoring their younger boy. Thesus was brave and outgoing. Well then, let him do all the talking. Newt could be as reserved and as shy as he wished - it never mattered anyway. Thesus was the war hero. Newt could stick with his dragons as he wished. At least there was some accomplishment for the Scamander family and that was all they needed.

  
It was never an exaggeration to say that Newt was overshadowed by his elder brother. Thesus was the ever-radiating, ominous sun. Newt was the moon, only reflecting the bright sunlight at the dark of day, never able to shine.

  
Therefore, it was nothing out of ordinary that everyone would have picked Thesus over Newt as a potential love interest. In a garden full of flowers, full of both blooming and wilting ones, everyone picks the better, the thriving flower, didn't they? Newt thought it made a lot of sense that he might end up lonely and living on his own till his ultimate death. After all, he didn't have enough courage for him to ensure his partner would be blissful with him.

  
He was the less appealing pick ever since day one.

  
Yet, between the two brothers, strange enough, he was the one who was promised to a man at birth for marriage. He did not even know his husband-to-be’s name, let alone his face, as a bewildered Newt decided to run away as soon as his mother brought up the matter of the engagement for the first time when they were dining, and handing him the engagement ring. It was made of silver, with a shiny sapphire in the middle, framed by swirls of engraved accessories.

  
Peculiar might it seem, but Mrs Scamander seemed to find that not telling his dear son that he was in fact engaged to someone at birth until he was nearly twenty the most reasonable thing to do. Both frightened and nervous at the future that he might ended up marrying a man that he would only meet until their wedding day, and that he might not be a good enough husband for his betrothed, Newt resorted to the most extreme method of fleeing from the reality ever imagined – he grabbed his case, packed a few clothes, and pocketed his passport, before apparating to the pier for the earliest ship to the foreign land of the United States of America, not forgetting to take the ring along with him as well.

  
Newt was not even sure whether he would ever be able to give his betrothed the bliss and love he needed, as a good husband he should have been. After all, had it not been the engagement, anyone with the right mind would have chosen Thesus - no, anyone would be a better husband material than him - over the poor, hopeless little magizoologist.

  
He ignored thousands of howlers from his enraged parents and worried brother that he received during his journey on the ship, and hid his trails as perfect as humanly possible, as he went on the quest to the unknown world across the oceans. Newt’s first stop was New York, where he proceeded to the wilds of Arizona on train for setting Frank free. According to his knowledge regarding magical creatures, chances were that there might be Kachinas, spirits from the Native American myths, dwelling in the forest of San Francisco Peaks of Arizona. A lifetime spent in the United Kingdom only provided Newt with the chance of visiting the will-o'-the-wisp from the Scottish highlands, but never the precious opportunity of studying the behavior of Native American spirits.

  
That was the reason why Newt was wondering on the mountain ranges of Arizona all by himself, aside from the case of magical creatures that just would not stay in the case obediently, searching all over the forests like a mad man, not that anyone would see him in that state anyway - hair ruffled with leaves stuck in between his locks of hair, sleeve of shirt rolled up and the fabric all crumpled – for there was little sign of human inhabitation in this wildness.

  
Or not.

  
Newt was stunned upon the moment that he was met with the scene of a small hut hidden beneath the shades of the pine forests, its house mysteriously barricaded by wooden planks. Raising his brows in question, he approached the house with caution, too certain that someone or something highly suspicious was with this house. He detected a small protective charm around the house – a weak one – so weak that it could only deny muggle detection and their entry. Whoever set up this charm must either be too arrogant in their hiding skills that they thought it was impossible for someone to stumble across this house, or they must be using this mysterious hut as a bait for luring unsuspecting wizards. Under normal circumstances, yes, it was unlikely for someone to have stumbled across this house by plain chances. Yet, Newt seldom sticks to normal circumstances, resulting in this discovery that would flipped his life upside-down in a moment.

  
“Alohomora,” he whispered as he directed his wand towards the door knob, unlocking the door with ease. He frowned at how easy it was for him to unlock the door to the hut, but chances were that it was not a trap but was just the handiwork of an overly arrogant wizard or witch.（or they were just too bad at charms） It was not like Newt had never come across one anyway. Sadly, the Gryffindor dormitory was full of them when he was still in Hogwarts.

  
He opened the door, inch by inch, as if kicking the door open would have set off a series of traps and curses. When it was fully opened, a man beaten black and blue and all tied up on a chair was revealed. Newt took in his surrounding – the house was small and simple, with only a chair that the man was tied onto, and a jar of water that was sadly out of the man’s reach. The sudden influx of light into the dim hut caused the man to look into his direction, as Newt studied the man’s appearance carefully. Even though he was beaten up badly, and blood was smeared all over his chiseled face, Newt did not fail to notice that the man was indeed a good-looking one by social standards, and beneath the blood-stained shirt, he realized that the man had a well-toned body.

  
“Um…hi?” Newt’s lips parted for a question, causing the man to lean as further forward as much as he could, within the constraints of the rope.

  
“Are you with Grindelwald?” the man’s voice was deep, but croaked, probably due to a lack of water. Newt gave a brief glance at the unattended jar momentarily, deep in thought as he heard the man's croaky voice when he first started speaking. The mention of the most powerful dark wizard’s name at the time aroused the magizoologist's interest, causing Newt to look at the man in confusion. The man studied his expression through his swollen eye lids and nodded, looking rather pleased, if Newt was to be honest.

  
“Whoever you are, thank you for coming. Grindelwald will be back in anytime. Let’s get out of here,” glancing at his wrist that was tied up by a magical kind of rope that could only be undone with a wand but not wandless spells, probably explaining why the man was still stuck there in the hut, Newt quickly casted a reversing spell to untie the man. Unless the man had a kink for masochism – which he would definitely not judge if he really did have – it was likely that he was detained in the hut against his will. The name Grindelwald that the man spit out like a snake’s venom just now only added to his suspicions.  
“Can you walk?” helping the wobbly man to his feet, Newt asked, as he place the man’s less badly wounded left arm over his own shoulder for support. He felt the man’s muscles tightened momentarily upon the touch, almost as if he was uneasy with him. Had he been detained and abused for a long time, suffering from solitude and isolation, he would also flinch at a warm touch, afraid that it would turn from a gentle caress into a slap. The man grunted in response, but was staring at him in disbelief.

  
“Really? You plan to walk out of this mountain?”

  
Newt’s face burnt in shame at the man’s clever response, as he pulled out his wand, holding the man tighter against himself for a side apparation.

  
“MACUSA, Woolworth Building, New York,” the man hissed through gritted teeth, his face twisted in pain. The magizoologist could feel his breath quicker as the warm breath tickled the back of his neck at a faster pace, meaning that the man was in pain as he spoke.

  
“MACUSA?” Newt repeated his request, dumbstruck by the man’s planned destination. The wounded man only nodded in response, as Newt did not raise any further question but chose to apparate straight away.

It turned out that the man Newt had accidentally rescued was Percival Graves, the director of the Department of Magical Security, the right hand man of Madam Picquery, who was kidnapped by Grindelwald quite some time ago. The dark wizard had been running around causing chaos using the name of Percival Graves, and was only revealed by demoted ex-auror Tina Goldstein when he attempted to stop aurors from killing the obscurial at the New York City Hall metro station. Since then, several months had passed but the real Percival Graves was still nowhere to be found.

  
Until the day when Newt accidentally stumbled across Grindelwald’s supposedly secret lair, that was.

  
Since Grindelwald was captured, no one would be there to beat up the real Percival Graves anymore, meaning that time was given for Percival’s injuries to recover at the hut, thus speeding up his recoveries after the man embracing freedom once more. At the same time, there was nobody to supply Percival with food or drinks. He could only feed on the rain that leaked into the hut through the gaps on the rooftop. When the poor man was eventually found, he was extremely dehydrated and was discovered to be suffering from malnutrition, after proper medical examinations had been conducted by healers at the MACUSA.

  
Probably due to sympathy, or Newt seemed to see a hint of what his creatures generally looked like when they were first found on the streets, abandoned and wounded, the magizoologist visited the director nearly daily to keep the friendless man company. He normally would have escaped from human contact, but being around Percival made felt the sense of comfort, something entirely foreign to him whenever he was around strangers, so he leaned onto the comfort like an orphan thirst for love.

  
He spent days talking with Percival, exchanging stories of him chasing after beasts and Percival capturing notorious criminals and restoring justice. Sometimes, Tina Goldstein would drop by for a visit for her boss, after her promotion back to becoming a MACUSA auror, and Newt became quick friends with the dauntless female auror. The habit of visiting Percival continued until the director became so fed up with the waste of time on the bed without making any contributions to hunt down Grindelwald's fanatic supporters and insisted to leave the hospital before recovering completely. (An incident that involved a screaming healer, twelve broken potion bottles and three crying healer interns that the head healer turned as pale as a ghost when someone brought up the matter) Yet, Newt still visited Percival occasionally at work, sometimes to talk to him about his new discoveries about magical beasts, sometimes just to have a quick chat with the man that he adored so much. His adoration for the man bloomed by day, until it silently grew into something far more, far deeper than platonic love.  
Romantic attraction, something entirely foreign and strange to the magizoologist who had already taken solitary for granted.  
Despite that, he buried his feelings for the director in his heart secretly, never to think of it again, aside from those small hours when he lied on his bed doing nothing, imagining that Percival was there holding him, doing unimaginable business to him. Newt believed that he did not deserve someone like Percival, and the perfect director of the Department of Magical Security would never fall for someone … someone like him. Would he ever fall in love with the magizoologist, it must either be a miracle or just the effect of Amortentia.

 

He was wrong though. Miracles did exist in this world.

  
Newt was wonderstruck - over cloud nine - to be exact when Percival told him to stay behind after his visit as his office and told him that he loved him. Never would he have imagined someone as perfect as Percival, would even lay an eye on a humble magizoologist like him. He would not have believed it - no, that was too good to be true, probably a fragment of his imagination running wild only - but when Percival bent in to kiss him right on the lips gently, Newt could feel how passionate Percival was towards him. Percival nibbled on the magizoologist's lower lip, as he asked for entrance silently, tongue digging through Newt's slightly parted teeth, dancing on the younger man's tongue seductively. Percival's chest was pressed against his, so Newt could feel his heart hammering against his own, echoing in synchronization. Maybe he wasn't lying after all. The director did have romantic feelings for him. Their lips parted momentarily for the both of them to catch their breath, before Percival closed their distance for another round of passionate, loving kisses.

Maybe Newt did not have to be alone for his entire life. Maybe he had a chance.

Or so he thought.

Since the day Percival had confessed to Newt, the two of them were engaged in a secret romantic relationship that remained unknown to the rest of the world except Queenie of course, she knew everything – the perks of being a leguilimen. Newt made her promised not to tell any living soul, not even her own sister - as Percival seemed to be the opposite of delighted towards the idea of making their romantic relationship open and public. Newt had asked his lover whether he wished to make their romantic relationship known by others, yet every time Percival reacted rather drastically, and was very much reluctant to the idea. Newt was overwhelmed with bliss at the honeymoon stage of their relationship when their love was blooming oh so brightly, so he did not pay much attention to Percival's strange reactions towards the suggestions.

  
Yet as time passed by, things had happened that arouse Newt's suspicion towards the matter of where Percival's heart truly lied in.

  
They were holding hands, strolling in the Central Park Zoo where Newt had insisted so much on coming for many times. He said his only visit to the park was due to the capture of the erupment, and the havoc it had caused let to a failure of enjoying the visit to the no-maj zoo. Percival did not hesitate and took him for a visit to the Central Park Zoo on a warm, sunny Saturday morning – the perfect weather for an outdoor date.

  
Newt had intertwined his fingers with Percival's tightly as the director was momentarily distracted, looking at the yawning caged lion. Percival squeezed his hand tightly, giving him a small upturn of his lips – his own kind of smile, reserved for Newt’s eyes and only his eyes, but the freckled man failed to notice it as he was too busily reading the information about the lion on the tag. Suddenly, Percival let go of his hand and retrieved his own hand quickly, shoving it into his coat pocket as fast as lightening. Confused, Newt looked up and discovered Percival staring at the distance so he followed his glance, noticing that Auror Phan was also visiting the park with his children. They had not noticed the two men yet, but Percival immediately turned on his heels, escaping from the auror and his family, accidentally leaving Newt behind on his own. Baffled by the director's sudden behaviours, Newt stood at the spot remaining shocked for a while, before finally turning to catch up with Percival, panting as he could finally keep up with the fast-paced man.

  
The incident had hit Newt as strange and peculiar, yet he had paid little attention to it. However queer might it be, it was probably nothing but his paranoia. Percival was the least likely person on Earth to have hidden something from him, Newt told himself quietly, as their date was forced to be cut short due to the sudden event.

Newt was dragged to the annual ball of MACUSA by Queenie mercilessly when he just wanted to hide at home and stay with his creatures in his case. Percival was obliged to go, as the companion of Madame Picquery due to his high status at the MACUSA, so Newt was left alone in their shared house originally, if not due to the sudden change of plan thanks to the blonde witch.

  
Newt sneaked away from Queenie when she was being invited for a dance by a tall and handsome auror whose name remained unknown to Newt, and was hoping to catch Percival for a quick chat before he apparated home when he heard the conversation that was not intended to reach his ears.

  
"Director Graves, why don't you go to the ball with Mr Scamander? Rumours were that the two of you are in a budding relationship, “said a man that went unrecognised by Newt, but judging from his accent and his elegant attire, he should be someone of a high status from the British Ministry of Magic.

  
Percival only smiled at his words and clench Madame Picquery's arms tighter, slamming down the empty champagne glass onto the tray of a passing by servant, before answering, "Of course that wasn't true, Mr Wilson. It was just an unproved rumour after all. My relationship with Mr Scamander was entirely platonic, you see."

  
The discussed topic was quickly switched to politics and latest events on magical security, something related to Grindelwald fanatics causing havoc all over the globe, all of the wizards in the heated discussion failed to notice a red-eyed magizoologist silently slipping away among the laughter and clear clashes of glass.

Newt told himself, repeatedly that it was not true. Percival did not deny that they were in a relationship over and over again because he felt ashamed to admit that his partner was actually someone like Newt, as he sobbed into his pillow, biting his lower lips from keeping the wails from reaching Percival's ears, who was soundly sleeping next to him after he had returned from the ball, clearly oblivious to Newt's discovery. They had sex after Percival’s return from the Annual Ball. Despite how heartbroken he was, Newt could not have the heart to reject Percival's requests. Percival fucked him hard into the mattress, unlike the several previous times which he had been gentle and slow with the rather inexperienced magizoologist. He seemed possessive as well, as he ravished Newt's mouth lustfully with a desire fuelled kiss before finally coming in him, coating Newt's inside with his seeds.

The magizoologist finally stopped sobbing and bite the tip of his fingers hardly as tear streamed down his face soundlessly. He reflected on his course of his relationship with Percival and it eventually clicked. It was too good to be true for someone as perfect as Percival to have picked Newt as his partner. And it, of course, wasn't true. Percival's acclaimed love for the magizoologist was definitely not true - no, not from the beginning. They never dated in the wizarding sector of New York because Percival did not want anyone who would recognise the director to see them on a date. Percival denied the fact that they were lovers as he was ashamed of him. Percival only took him on short dates in the no-maj sector of New York to shut him up, to fill him with fantasies that he - someone like him - was actually being loved. All Percival asked for was a bed partner. A sex toy that would be played by him, toyed with whenever he had the urge to fuck.  
Newt touched the hickey on his pale neck that Percival had left previously and began to sob again, a throbbing pain spread all over his chest.

  
Maybe the others were right. He was never going to be picked when there were perfect people like his brother out there, but only act as a sex toy for the man who picked him.

  
The problem was he was actually hopelessly in love with the said man. So in love that he was willing to do everything for him, even acting as his fuck toy whenever he was in need, without asking for any return.

  
That night, Newt cried himself to sleep.

Newt woke up on an empty and cold twin bed. He searched around the bedroom for Percival, but the other man was nowhere to be seen. Hastily putting a loose white button-up over his scar-cladded, bite-marks-covered naked torso and pulled on a pair of comfortable trousers, Newt descended into his case for his daily routine, trying to focus on his work so he could forget about Percival.

He was tending the sick occamy Anne, brewing her some potions for curing her pain when a ruffled letter fell out from the pile of notes and drawings placed randomly on the top of his desk in the small cabin. Newt bent down to pick it up, revealing the symbol of the Ministry of Magic on it. It was an old letter from the beast division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures that was addressed to Newt directly, granting him approval to visit the Scottish Highlands where the Loch Ness was located otherwise restricted to public. With the approval, he could study the habits of the Nessie and after that, he could complete his research on the will-o'-the-wisp that went unfinished ever since he had started studying them three years ago as he chose to stay in the America. Finishing the research on the Nessie and the will-o'-the-wisp would be a dream comes true for him, as his book would have been finished at that point, after the study was over. He didn't have the heart to travel back to the United Kingdom, as the departure might be a long one, if not permanent, meaning that the chances for him to see Percival again might be slim. Under the current circumstances, Newt reconsidered his decisions as he read the letter over and over again, even though he had already learnt the words by heart. The license for approval was not expired yet. It wasn't too late to come back.

  
Maybe leaving this place for a change would be better for him. Maybe Percival deserved someone better, someone as good as Thesus, instead of him.

  
He imaged his life by the Loch Ness, all on his own but his case of creatures. He had to leave Tina, Queenie and Jacob behind – his true friends that brought him countless happiness memories. And the worst of all, he had to leave Percival, the man whom he loved so much, even though he did not love him back.

  
He thought of the future which he would not have Percival beside him, as the man would have moved on and found himself a more decent partner – like Thesus, outgoing, brave and perfect, worthy of standing next to him and to be presented to the world as his spouse. Newt felt his heart broken again at the thought of Percival seeing another person. Then he forced himself to reconsider it – leaving Percival behind could actually give Percival a chance of moving on, a chance of finding a new love. He was a Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuffs were not supposed to be selfish.

  
He could not bear the throbbing pain in his chest whenever he imagined Percival kissing another person, proclaiming that they were his one true love to the world proudly.

  
But he could not bear to see Percival struggling with him. The director must have wanted to break up with him since a long time ago, but being a gentleman as he was, he could not have the heart to do so. He reckoned it would break Newt’s heart, shatter it into many pieces that cannot be mended again.

  
And he was right.

  
But if Newt was the one initiating the long-awaited action of turning away, maybe he would feel better. He would feel that it was alright to move on.

  
Newt should leave Percival behind immediately, leaving all his sweet coaxing words behind even though it could possibly break his heart. Yet he just could not do that. He had grown too attached to the man. Too in love with him for good.  
But it had to be done. It had to be. It was not his own choice for his better future but for Percival to have a better future as well. Newt was already uncertain that he would be capable of giving the long-needed bliss to his unknown betrothed. It was likely to be the same with Percival. Someone like him would never be capable of being a good husband.  
The magizoologist left their shared home as soon as possible, as he was afraid that idling at the cozy house for any second longer would cause him to change his mind.

  
Newt's departure for the United Kingdom was rather secretive. He left a note for Percival, saying that he was sorry and it was better for Percival to find a more perfect partner instead of him, before boarding the ship from New York to London, where he would change his means of transport to train and proceed to Scotland for his study.

 

 

  
Two years had passed and his study had reached an end. Newt published his book - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - and kept his promise of leaving one for Tina, yet done through the mails instead of going onto the American soil again, for fear that it might trigger his memories, buried deep in his mind – the sweet memories of being loved and being cared for.  
He became famous in the academic field, and out of his expectations, he received a letter from Hogwarts - his Alma Mata - asking to fill in the vacancy of the professor of the Care of Magical Creatures. It was the first time in forever that Hogwarts had employed a teacher that had not graduated from school yet, but it seemed that they thought that the school could allow an exception or two, since Newt’s knowledge regarding magical creatures seemed to have surpassed many graduates taking Care of Magical Creatures in their final years, particularly in the practical field.

  
Newt took up the vacancy with gladness, and became one of the students’ favourite professors within matters of days. He was nice and sweet, despite being awkward around other humans. The magizoologist’s adoring behaviours and loving attitudes towards magical creatures quickly gathered him a pool of fans, something he would have never imagined during his studies at Hogwarts. And when there was a magibiology tour to the United States of America co-organized by the department of magizoology and herbology, students did not even hesitate to sign up for it.

  
Ironically, it was Newt who was very much repelled by the idea of having to go across the oceans to the country called America. Despite his reluctance, he could not have the heart to reject the offer as he witnessed how excited Professor Beery, the professor of Herbology appeared to be towards the tour when he first formulated it.

  
It was the sole idea of Professor Beery to visit the United States and he was the person laying out the plan of the visiting schedule. Seeing that it was a magibiology tour, Newt took it for granted that they would visit the Central Park Zoo – oh, those good old memories, or they will go to the Herb Garden of New York to look at the magical plants as the first stop of their trip.  
And of course things would never proceed towards the direction a man would have wanted. Strange enough, the first stop of the American tour was the headquarters of MACUSA.

  
That was the reason why Newt stood awkwardly in front of a bunch of students, buzzing with excitement as they took in the view of the entrance inside the magnificent Woolworth Building.

  
With a menacing-looking Percival Graves right in front of him, and an equally awkward-looking Porpentina Goldstein.

  
“Goldstein, would you be so kind to show Professor Beery and the students around?” Percival’s voice had not changed a bit and it was as deep and as calming like it was two years ago. Nodding obediently, Tina spared a worried look for Newt, as she ushered the group to follow him. Newt was planning to follow the rest, but was abruptly stopped by the director.

  
“Mr Scamander, mind if we have a chat in my office?” grabbing Newt’s arm rather harshly, Percival asked, disapparating from the scene without waiting for an answer from the shocked magizoologist. Pulled into a swirl of magic, Newt found himself returning to Percival’s office again, after two years.

  
Newt swallowed nervously when he was pinned down onto the desk of Percival Graves at his private office, the face of the man responsible dangerously close to his. 


	2. Percival Graves

 

Brought up in a family of powerful wizards, most of them professional aurors and loyal servants of the MACUSA for generations, Percival was taught that success at work and at school mattered a great deal from his father since a young age. His excellence at the academic field and athletic field at Ilvermorny was partly the contribution of his father, who filled his young mind with the importance of becoming a good auror eventually and serving the American wizarding community, as well as bringing honour to the family name of Graves.

 

Investing too much time in his studies did have negative impacts on his social skills. He was not awkward around people like Newt - no, rather opposite. He was good at interactions and playing mind games with his fellow students. But the downside to his top academic scores was that he had little time with his schoolmates, let alone making friends. He was shockingly similar to Newt when it came to friend circles, as they both have surprisingly small ones - Newt had a small one due to his social awkwardness, whereas a lack of time was the root cause for Percival's small friend circle, a problem that lasted till his promotion to the director of Magical Security. He might have fellow co-workers, yes, but never a friend.

 

Percival had held firm to the belief that he was destined to grow old alone, and his sole existence was nothing but a poison to the rest of the living population of this world, a poison that choked the air out of the lungs of everyone who was unfortunate enough to grow close to him. The Grindelwald incident only made his belief firmer, as he saw how battered and wounded Credence had become after being deceived by him - no, he would have never done that, even though he might be cold and distant - by Grindelwald. He lived the life of solitary until a certain someone burst into his life.

 

A beautiful, blue-eyed magizoologist named Newt Scamander.

 

His first encounter with the man was in the small hut where Grindelwald hid him when he ran around claiming that he was the real Percival Graves. The hut was in the middle of a dark forest, far away from the cities and only wild animals dwelled there. It was dimly lit, with its window barricaded by wooden planks to prevent prying eyes from seeing a wounded and tied up Percival Graves, yet suddenly there was a ray of light, indicating that the door was suddenly opened. Percival was far beyond delighted when he realised that whoever it was that opened the door was not Grindelwald, but rather, an unfamiliar young man in blue coat with a case.

 

“Um…hi?” the man's voice was muffled by his scarf, but to Percival, his voice was as perfect as an angel's. Heck, when he opened the door, the light reflected on his brownish blonde nicely, as if he had a halo. Percival initially thought that he had died and it was the angel coming to escort him to the heaven, but quickly dismissed this thought as he was nearly certain that a man like him would have ended up in hell, instead of heaven.

 

The young man was too beautiful for words. His sapphire eyes were like the deep ocean, causing Percival to lean as further front as possible within the constraints of the rope, as if there was a pull attracting the battered director towards him. Yet, even beautiful creatures had to be handled with cautions. The prettier the creature is, the more likely it is poisonous. Grindelwald had not been around for days – or months? He had already lost count. It was very much likely that he had sent one of his evil minions to play mind games with his already exasperated mind.

 

“Are you with Grindelwald?” Percival asked, frowning as he discovered how croaked his voice has become.  The young man blinked twice at Percival, as if blinking could wash away the confusion welling in his sinfully beautiful orbs.  Unless the man was an exceptionally good actor, or else he was likely to have no connections with the most powerful dark wizard at all times at all.

 

“Whoever you are, thank you for coming. Grindelwald will be back in anytime. Let’s get out of here,” he spit out Grindelwald’s name in distaste, as he tore off his glance from the new comer’smesmerisingg blue eyes. The young man hurried towards him and casted a quick spell to untie his bond. Percival sighed as the constraints that had been put over him for months was finally gone. The man in blue snaked one of his arms against Percival’s shoulder for support, helping the badly wounded director to his feet. 

 

“Can you walk?” the young man’s sudden close proximity seemed to have shocked Percival, as he flinched backwards slightly and mentally cursing himself for behaving like a sixteen-year-old girl in love with her crush flirting with her.

 

“Really? You plan to walk out of this mountain?” to cover up his embarrassment, Percival snapped, a bit too harsh to be necessary. He already regretted his choice of tone as he saw a hint of hurt flashed across the beautiful man’s sky like orbs. It disappeared in no time, as the man pulled out his wand, ready for a side apparation.

 

“MACUSA, Woolworth Building, New York,” Percival hissed through gritted teeth. Talking made his chest wound hurt even worse. Frowning at the piercing pain at his chest region, Percival was almost certain that Grindelwald had broken at least one of his ribs.

 

“MACUSA?” the young man repeated his instructions as if he was a parrot. An adorable gesture, Percival would say, if he was not so badly wounded like he was currently. Medical treatment was his first priority, and romance or flirting could wait till later. Besides, he had not been in touch with any human aside from that douchebag that ran around using his face and wearing his clothes for months. It was probably nothing more but an infatuation.

 

Except it was not.

 

Percival was nearly certain of it when the man – his name was Newt, a weird name but it sounded oh so perfect when it rolled off the tip of Percival’s tongue – visited him for the fifth time in five consecutive days.

 

He was in love.

 

And he should never be in love with him. Not when he was already engaged to someone else. Worst of all, Newt should probably knew his betrothed on a personal basis.

 

His betrothed bore the last name Scamander, just like Newt. Percival was unaware of the first name of his fiancé, as he was only told that he was engaged to someone at birth when he was at a tender age of roughly five or six. All he could remember was the name Scamander (He thought he was going to marry a salamander at the beginning, but it was another story involving a tiny crying Percival and his gentle mother coaxing him, and a laughing father who found his son’s reaction strangely adorable)

 

Percival had thought of the prospective that his betrothed might actually be Newt Scamander. But no, life never worked that way. The reality would not be so kind with him. He would end up marrying a Scamander, but the wrong Scamander.

 

He could have asked his father, but his father was probably unable to be located, probably selling potions in some part of the world, a hobby that he had taken up after his retirement.

 

“Newt, do you have any siblings?” Percival asked the magizoologist, during one of his daily visits to the wounded man. The man stopped in mid action of doodling a small bowtruckle onto his notebook page and looked up, giving the director a firm nod.

 

“I have a brother, Thesus,” the magizoologist answered, as he continued his rough sketch of Pickett as he talked at the same time, failing to notice Percival’s heated glance that seemed to follow his long slender fingers that danced on the charcoal stained white paper nicely, “He is the best at everything. Mum and dad love him and he always gets the best part of the deal. But he is a good brother at the same time.”

 

Percival hummed in response, as the magizoologist continued doodling absent-mindedly, probably distracted by memories about his brother.

 

He had probably confirmed that it was Thesus Scamander that he was promised to, as he always gets the best part of the deal according to Newt. Graves was a powerful family, one that attracted numerous families to try to marry their daughters or sons into the family whenever a new successor was born. It would make more sense for the Scamanders to marry their favourite son into such a strong family, rather than their younger, less favoured one.

 

Percival was tempted to claim Newt his. Every hour that he spent with the magizoologist only made his desire grew stronger, even though he was certain that it was too cruel to give him fake promises and beautiful wishes but then only to throw the poor magizoologist away when the day Percival’s wedding finally comes. The director could do nothing but to bury his feelings deep down his the darkest pits of his heart.

 

Until the day he could not hold it back anymore and made his confession. Out of his expectations, Newt did not reject him. Rather, he looked more than delighted – no, he appeared to be over the moon.

 

Percival decided to spend as long as humanly possible with Newt, as well as developing a secret relationship with him, until the day when the truth had to be unveiled. It had to be a secret relationship, or else someone might find out that Percival was seeing someone even though he already had a fiancé of his own, even though few were aware of his engagement. They would be torn apart mercilessly, without any warning beforehand. No, it would never happen. Not under his watch.

 

 

Percival came home from the ball exhausted and tired. Newt was sitting on the rim of the bed, with his back facing him. The director smiled at the young man’s petite figure, as he pulled the magizoologist in for a hug from the back. He felt Newt shivered under his touch. Pressing his lips onto Newt’s pale neck for a quick kiss, Percival had the sudden urge to pin Newt down onto the bed and to fuck him into the mattress. The lie that he told Mr Wilson regarding his relationship with the magizoologist was in fact torturing him. Oh how he wished for a day that he would proudly announce to the world that the magizoologist was his and only his? He reckoned he could never publicly announce it, so he decided to claim Newt his own on their shared bed.

 

Newt’s fragmented cries and mewls never failed to turn Percival on. The magizoologist was indeed a prized jewel, too precious for this cruel world, Percival noted, as he left a small hickey on the younger man’s pale neck to mark him his own, rather possessively.

 

Exhausted after sex, the director failed to notice the nearly inaudible sobs coming from beneath his beloved’s pillow, muffled by the fabric.

 

 

Percival woke up before the young magizoologist, pressing a gentle kiss on Newt's forehead before dressing up for work. A loving gesture, reserved only for his beloved. He might be all-knowing when it came to his field of speciality, crime psychology and playing mind games with dark wizards. Yet he was completely caught off guard when it came to matters of the heart, especially the delicate heart of the magizoologist. He could sense that something was troubling the younger man, but he couldn't tell what it was, as the sleeping face of the magizoologist appeared to be rather disturbed, a far call from his normally peaceful one. Besides, he had duty to attend to; work to be done; justice to be upheld. He cared about Newt - a lot, more than anything else, even though he might seemed heartless at time - and he would coax his beloved to tell him that what was wrong the first thing he arrive home from work, he promised himself.

 

It never did. Percival came home with a banquet of roses in his hands, planning to take Newt out for a dinner so as to talk to him properly, but was welcomed by a small parchment of note.

 

_Dear Percival,_

_I am terribly sorry, Percival. I love you. I love you so much. But our relationship is not a healthy one – it never was since day one. It wasn’t your fault after all. I could understand why you never wanted to tell the others that I am your lover, as I am definitely not the perfect lover that anyone with a normal mind would have looked for. I know that you might not even love me, and that is quite alright. At least you are a gentleman who decides not to break up with me, as you care for my feelings even though you do not love me._

_Percival, you deserve someone better. Someone…anyone would be better than me, I swear Percival. Please don’t look for me, my love. I will be good out there chasing after beasts and magical creatures like what I did before meeting you. You don’t have to worry about me, as we can never end up together. I have never told you before, but I was actually promised to a man at birth. One way or another, we can never settle down and have a happy family because of this stupid wedding contract of mine, even if we do love each other. Maybe it’s just the fault in our stars, I suppose. I told you that Thesus is mum and dad’s pet and he always gets the better share. Of course he can choose to marry whoever he wishes to - he is not promised to anyone. But for me, I do not even have the freedom to choose who to marry. It’s sad, but not for me. It’s sad for my betrothed. What a poor man is he, that he has no choice but to marry someone like me?_

_Anyway, Percival, it’s time for me to go. Please don’t look for me. Please don’t._

_I love you._

_Newt_

 

Reading the note over and over, Percival frantically searched for clues that might tell him about his beloved’s whereabouts. His hands were shaking fiercely. For the first time in the history of his deductions, he was wrong. It was Newt who he was promised to, not his brother. How stupid Percival was, not even realizing it and wasting so much precious time on hiding his love for the magizoologist from his supposed betrothed, when he fiancé was actually the man he loved wholeheartedly.

 

The director immediately applied for a long holiday to Picquery, who initially thought the entire holiday application was a joke. (She would more inclined towards the theory that Percival Graves did have a sense of humour rather than believing that the workaholic would want a year-long holiday. Once she realized that her right hand man was speaking the truth, she was too shocked for words.) During his holidays, Percival travelled all across the world, using international portkeys for quicker transportation, accidentally solving three smugglings in Papua New Guinea, St Petersburg and Hong Kong respectively, and two illegal magical beast breeding in wizarding Romania as well as Ottawa during the search. The director had even raided gangs, wizarding and non-wizarding alike, single-handedly in Rio de Janeiro (albeit very much unintentionally), as he threatened the gang leaders to tell him the whereabouts of a certain magizoologist. (Somehow the gang leaders ended up turning good and were currently doing legal business after the incident, but it was another story to be told. They shook with fear whenever the name Percival Graves was brought up and considered the man the reincarnation of the devil himself.)

 

Even after the holiday, when he had returned to his position at work, the director did not give up looking. It was until two years later, when the news regarding the publication of Newt’s new book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, as well as the employment of a new Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts were out, when Percival could finally pinpoint the exact location of his beloved.

 

Though very much tempted to go straight to Hogwarts for a confrontation with Newt, Percival did not stick to the plan, but instead choosing to send a letter to the professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, asking him to organize a magibiology trip to the United States. The trip would be funded by the MACUSA, but only under the circumstances that Professor Scamander would also be coming as well as they visit Woolworth Building at the first stop, and that the schedule of the trip remained unknown to the young professor until their arrival.

 

As for the origin of the money, it was something that Percival would like to remain hidden from the rest of the world. It was hinted that part of the money came from his family possession – “For your wife in the future,” his father told him before leaving the manor for a trip around the world. Percival considered wooing the magizoologist not a violation of the use of the money, and gladly spent it without considering how astronomical the amount of money was – as for the other share of the money, it was likely that it came from one of the ex-gang leaders from Rio, obtained by means of warmly coaxing of course, definitely not threatening.

 

And there he was, pinning the nervous and shaking magizoologist onto his desk, after successfully luring him to MACUSA using Professor Beery’s enthusiasm towards the magibiology trip that was nearly impossible to reject.

 

“Newton Artemis Fido Scamander,” Percival purred out his beloved’s name, word by word, breath ghosting over Newt’s plump lips as he talked. He could feel Newt’s arms tensed upon the close proximity, and felt guilty for intimidating the poor little magizoologist, but he could not let the man to go beyond his reach, or else he might apparate right away to a far off place, concealing his trails better this time and never to be found again, “How dare you, leaving me without even saying good bye but just leaving a damn note?”

 

“I-I’m sorry?” Newt looked up into Percival’s dark orbs, his eyes full of emotions which were almost unreadable for Percival – there were hints of guilt and heartbreaks, but there was more to that “But Percival, don’t you see it might just be better for you to move on and find someone more worthy than I am? I will never be the partner that you will proudly announce to the rest of the world, nor that you will find me worthy of your time. I-I am betrothed to another man already, didn’t you read the note –“

 

Not even waiting for Newt to finish his line, fuelled by overwhelming emotions that went suppressed for the past 700 hundred days and more, Percival pressed a quick kiss onto the magizoologist’s soft pink lips, muffling his words of protest. Eyes widened and cheeks stained red, Newt attempted to push away the older man, but was to no avail, as Percival was very much stronger than he was, and was strongly built for fight. He was an auror, after all.  

 

“We are both idiots,” breaking away from the kiss, Percival whispered breathlessly, as he loosened the grip on one of Newt’s wrists to pull out a ring from his pocket, successfully eliciting a shocked exhale of breath from the freckled man. It was made of silver with a sapphire in the middle, identical to the one that was given to Newt by his mother before his departure from home.

 

“You-you are my fiancé -”

 

“Yes my dear. Only after reading your notes I realized that I was engaged to you. Damn it Newt, you have no idea how much I love you. I was almost pathetically head over heels for you since your burst into the hut and recued me like a knight in shiny armor that you actually are. You are a knight in shiny armor for your creatures when you tend them gently; coaxing them to sleep when they are sick, and you are the same to me. I love how gentle you are with magical beasts; I love the way you talk passionately when you tell me about your discoveries – they never fail to entertain me; I love how you smile at me, so beautiful and pure and innocent; I love the mewls and cries you make on bed. I- I love you for everything that you are, Newton Scamander.  You thought I never loved you but it was such a far cry from the truth, my love. I was never ashamed to announce that you are my beloved to the world, but the only thing that stops me from doing so is my engagement to someone whom I never thought would be you. I was told that my fiancé had the last name Scamander, so I naturally thought it was your brother that was promised to me at birth, instead of you, as you said he is the more favoured son of your parents. The others would break us up had they find out that I am engaged to another man that isn’t you mercilessly and heartlessly, and I don’t want it to happen to us. So I decided to hide you from the lights of the day and only claim you my own when we are truly alone. I am sorry for not telling you the truth. Had I done so, chances were that we would already discover who our betrothed is two years ago, and I would not spend an entire year worth of holiday running all across the globe searching for you, and spending the next year moping silently until the news that you are employed as the professor of Care of Magical Creatures at Hogwarts finally came a month ago.”

 

Newt only stared at him in awe, his lips parted slightly perhaps due to shock.

 

“I don’t know you can mop for someone,” after moments of silence, Newt finally broke the tense silence and said, resulting in a frown to appear on Percival’s handsome features.

 

“After I have confessed my undying love for you, and that’s all you can say in return?” Percival replied in mock anger, but was unable to stop a blissful smile from surfacing on his face.

 

“No! Of course not! It’s-It’s just too much to take in for the meantime, as what you said just now overthrows everything that I have believed in since I was a child,” smiling sweetly to the director, the freckled man replied, bending forward to capture the older man’s lips for a quick peck, “I never thought that I will find someone that loves me back. I- I spent my childhood overshadowed by Thesus and I grew  up believing that I would never be an appealing love interest for anyone with a right mind, so it was literally a dream coming true for you to confess that you love me – not once but twice. Tell me Percival; is it a dream, a fragment of my wild imagination?”

 

“No it wasn’t,” cupping Newt’s cheeks in his hands to stroke his blushing cheeks with his thumbs, feeling the heat radiating off his pale skin, Percival replied quickly, “I love you, my dear fiancé.”

 

Percival slipped the ring onto Newt’s ring finger before pressing his lips onto the man’s pale and freckled fingers. He looked at the silver ring that fit so nicely onto Newt’s slender fingers and smiled.

 

“Finally mine.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for putting up with my long fic! And if you have finished your fic, I would like to thank you for your time :)  
> I hope it's not too cliche :D Please tell me what you think about it


End file.
